1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of devices which consume gaseous or liquid fuels and produce electrical energy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many solid materials which are electrically insulating but permit the movement of certain ions are known in the art and are referred to as solid electrolytes. For example, it is known that at elevated temperatures beta-alumina is usefully conductive to some alkali metal ions. Such materials have been incorporated in devices which produce or store electrical energy.
Devices which produce electrical energy while producing oxidation and reduction reactions in substances which can be referred to as fuels and oxidizers are known in the art as fuel cells. In these prior art fuel cells the substance being oxidized and the substance being reduced are separated by a material which does not permit the flow of electrons, but does permit the flow of ions produced in the oxidation-reduction reaction. In addition, it is desirable to have the separating material as impermeable as possible to the oxidizing substance and the fuel substance. Fuel cells which consume hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases and oxygen are known in the art. Fuel cells consuming carbon monoxide are also known. ("Fuels Cells: Their Electrochemistry", J. O'M. Bockris and S. Srinivasan, McGraw Hill, 1969). These cells typically utilize liquid electrolytes to separate the gases.